Stanley's Spirit
by Evil Moogle Queen
Summary: A fanfiction of Okage: Shadow King. What happened before Stanley was imprisoned...? This is a serious fic.
1. Runaway Prince

Stanley's Spirit  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Okage, and I don't own Evil King Stan. His real name IS Stanley Hihat the 14th, so I didn't make that up.  
Author's Note: If you have played Okage, please tell me! I love this game, and only one of my other friends plays it!  
  
Prince Stanley Hihat the 14th rested his arms on the marble balcony. Everyone always knew that he was different. All you had to do was look into his pupil-devoid yellow eyes and gaze upon his pitch-black hair, which was usually very messy, and you knew that the child was going to be more than just another king.  
That was, of course, if you didn't know him. If you knew him personally, if you worked in his castle, you'd be proud.  
The prince was to become the next Evil King.  
Stanley, however, was a little bit of a dissapointment to his parents. He didn't particularly like his name. It was too long. So, instead of introducing himself to people as Prince Stanley Hihat the 14th, he shortened it to the simple title of Prince Stan. It was even better (to him) when it was just Stan.  
As to be expected, his parents didn't appreciate that one bit. Stan also didn't care for balls at all. Too flashy. The princesses were too giggly. Too PINK! How was he supposed to dance with people he didn't know, much less marry them?  
He sighed. His parents were throwing another ball, inviting all the important evil citizens. Once again, Stan would have to make an appearance. And once again, all of the princesses would ruthlessly compete for his affection, but all of them would fail.  
Well, that's what he thought.  
  
The current Evil King, Stanley Hihat the 13th, was sitting with the Evil Queen discussing ideas for the ball.  
The king sighed and told his wife, "Stanley has got to choose a princess. He can't rule by himself! He has people call him Stan! Stan!"  
Shrugging, the queen suggested, "How about we invite EVERY girl from the kingdom? Someone's got to match Stanley's personality. And we can always put a quick spell on her to make her evil."  
A light went up in the king's red-orange eyes. "That's a great idea! Yes, we'll do that! Send out the footmen to deliver an invite to every girl in the realm," he exclaimed, leaping from his chair to go see his son. But, before he left, he turned to his wife and said, "Oh.I hope you realize that his stubborn personality is from your genes."  
The queen shook her black locks of curls and slowly exited behind her husband.  
  
Stan was brooding in his room, planning his next escape, when he heard his father knock. "Uh-oh," he muttered. Looking around frantically, Stan finally ran to the balcony and leapt off.  
The fall was longer than expected, and Stan's floatation magic didn't kick in until he was right about to land. "Oww! Damn," he swore, rubbing his leg.  
"STANLEY HIHAT THE 14TH! You are in big trouble, young man! Don't run away from me!" he heard his enraged father shout.  
Time to hit the road. Stan turned and ran (well, limped very quickly) towards the menacing, twisted iron gates, resembling something out of the Nightmare Before Christmas. He knew his father wouldn't dare put a spell on him. He was almost just as powerful as his father, and he could deflect almost anything that an attacker used on him.  
Stan slammed himself against the gates, forcing them open. His leg could barely move, so he was having much difficulty running. But, he kept going down the dusty road towards the town.  
  
Kiana smiled with satisfaction at the tavern. The wooden tables were gleaming, having just been polished, and everything was all set out to start the day.  
Of course, the tavern opened in a half-hour. But Kiana liked to be prepared. And, besides, Midori wasn't here to help her today. As she stood setting out the plates and mugs, the bell rang. What? That was much earlier than expected! Kiana thought, looking towards the door. And, who should limp in but Prince Stanley, our favorite hero.  
She gasped and rushed over to Stan. "Your Highness! Your Highness, are you alright? Here, sit down, let me help you," she stammered out feverishly. Stan looked at her with his yellow eyes and sat down. "Please just call me Stanley. Or, Stan, even better," he said quietly. Kiana barely nodded. Breathing in deeply, she closed her eyes and started murmuring under her breath. White magic coursed from her heart, down her arms, and into her fingertips. She nervously tapped the prince's leg and let the healing powers take care of the rest. Stan cringed as he felt his bones being sewn back together with her magic. "Thank you, miss," he said when his leg had stopped glowing oddly. "Kiana," she corrected him without thinking. Stan mused, "That's a pretty name. Much better than boring old Stanley. Evil King Stan's not exactly a name to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies, eh?" He got up and paced back and fourth to see how his leg felt. It was much better than before Kiana couldn't help but let out a laugh. It alarmed Stan so much that he stopped in place, and Kiana quickly stopped, hoping she wasn't being rude. No one had ever laughed in his presence. Everyone was too uptight to laugh around him, and his usually sarcastic comments were drowned out at balls. "Er, Kiana? This is an inn and a tavern, if I'm not mistaken?" Stan asked, examining the intricately carved doorframe. Raising an eyebrow, Kiana replied, "Yes." Stan turned around. "Ah, great! Can I please get a room? I'm running away again and I doubt they'd expect me to hide at an inn," he explained. Kiana nodded, half-curtseying, half bowing. She turned to start up the stairs at the back of the room, saying, "Follow me. I think we've got one open."  
  
Stan awoke the next day on a surprisingly comfortable bed. Unfortunatley, it lacked in the size department, and he was half hanging off it. He smiled. Awesome. The guards hadn't found him yet.  
Yawning, he descended the stairs sleepily, only to find himself in a room full of people. He froze instantly and noticed that a guard was talking to Kiana.  
She kept shaking her head. "I'm sorry, sir. I haven't seen His Highness anywhere," she said. The guard nodded, and Stan had dashed up the stairs and back into his room, praying that his boots on the wooden stairs weren't as loud as he thought.  
Kiana saw this out of the corner of her eye. She supplied the guard with a drink and asked her bright-eyed sister, Midori, to cover everything for a while. Midori beamed with pleasure, because she was a year younger and overjoyed to have her big sis trust a job like this to her.  
Softly walking up the stairs, Kiana knocked on Stan's door after stopping by the kitchen to get him some food. He was dead silent.  
"Your High-um, Stan? It's just me. The guard is busy."  
Stan opened the door just a crack, and a yellow eye peeked out, gazing into Kiana's near black optics. "Oh. Okay," he whispered, opening it fully. Kiana blushed as she saw that Stan had removed his fluffy black pirate shirt and was in the proccess of putting on a new, plain one from a drawer.  
He laughed. "Oh, don't be shy. Just come in. I'm just trying to look.normal," he told her, putting on a dumpy-looking green one with sleeves that went to different lengths. One was much too large and he had to roll it up, and the other one barely went past his shoulder.  
Kiana grinned slightly. "But if you walk around wearing those boots, you're sure to get noticed,"  
She was interrupted by a loud pounding on the door.  
"Prince Stanley, we know you're in there. Come out now!" 


	2. The First Ball

Stanley's Spirit  
  
Disclaimer: *dances in a top-hat* I! Dooo! Not! Own! Okageeeeeee!  
Author's Note: Heh. This one will get better, I swear ^_^;  
  
Chapter 2 - The First Ball  
  
Stan's eyes widened. He looked for an escape and spotted a tiny window. As the pounding increased, he wrenched open the window and just barely managed to squirm out. Kiana just stood there watching him and trembling.  
Clinging to the windowsill, he narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, come on! You did lie to a guard, you know, and if you don't wanna get caught then I suggest you come with me," he snapped. She nodded and peeked outside the window. Then, immediately, she wished she hadn't. The ground was a long way down. A long way down.  
"You'll break your leg again!" she gasped.  
Stan threw back his head and let out an insane-sounding laugh that sent chills down Kiana's spine. "Hah! Think an Evil Prince doesn't have magic?" he questioned sarcastically.  
She shook her head and Stan moved over, levitating in midair. After Kiana had slipped effortlessly through the window, she clung to the windowsill.  
Then, the door broke down.  
"Ah! Damn! Kiana, grab my hand!" Stan shouted, outstretching a long, pale arm. She did, and cringed at his touch. His hand was deathly cold and clammy. Right as a guard approached the window, Stan and Kiana leaped.  
Stan breathed a few words and a blackish-purple colored orb surrounded them both, and they stopped dropping like rocks and floating gracefully.  
As soon as they touched the ground, the bubble dissipated and they both broke into a run. They still attracted stares. "Oh, curses! The medallion!" he shouted. He reached up and violently tore a gold medallion emblazoned with the royal crest. It shattered as it hit the cobblestone.  
Kiana looked over her shoulder, and thus didn't see Stan change direction abruptly. She ran right smack into the cold iron breastplate of a royal guard.  
He grabbed her by her wrists with his gauntlet-clad hands. "Gotcha! You are charged with lying to a member of the royal guard!" he boomed. Not knowing what to do, Kiana screamed. The hands tightened on her fragile wrists and she felt like they would break in two.  
Stan stopped in his tracks. Weaving a tapestry of obscenities that still hangs over the town today, he shoved his way through the crowd and tackled the guard. In his surprise, he let go of Kiana's wrists, and she jumped back behind the prince. Stan stood up straight as if nothing happened, and then extended a hand to the guard. "Hello, Miles," he greeted him cheerfully.  
The guard called Miles scowled and allowed himself to be helped up. "Your Highness! The king and queen have been worried sick about you! And they had to postpone the ball, all because of you!" he scolded.  
"The horrors," Stan drawled.  
Kiana tried to make herself as small as possible. Which was pretty easy, considering the prince's height. But, nevertheless, she failed to escape the guard's eye. "And she lied to us!" Miles shouted, pointing an accusing finger at her.  
Stan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You will not punish her. She has committed no crime, because I ordered her not to reveal where I was hidden. And, Kiana also healed me and treated me like a normal person, something I wish all of you would do," he growled. Miles trembled a little.  
"Well, I'm sorry, sire, but we must go now," Miles said.  
Stan shook his head. "I feared as much," he sighed. Before he turned to go, he grinned at Kiana and said, "Please come to the ball tonight. I want to be able to talk to someone who can treat me normally."  
Kiana nodded a little and half-curtseyed, then remembered that Stan wanted to be treated normally, and stopped, nearly tripping herself. This provoked a tiny chuckle from Stan and then his expression turned stern, and he demanded, "And if you don't come, I'll have to call you worm girl until the day you die."  
Miles dragged Stan off. Kiana waved and then started back to the tavern.  
  
Midori ran to her sister and hugged her. "Kiana! WHEREHAVEYOUBEEN?!" she shouted. But Kiana was in her own world, humming and spiraling and dancing a little in place. "Oh, nowhere. But I've got to attend a ball tonight, at Stan's request," she sang.  
Her younger sister raised an eyebrow. "Stan?"  
"The prince!" Kiana laughed. Midori's green eyes widened and she let out a little squeal, taking Kiana's hands and dancing around the mostly- empty tavern.  
"Oooooh! Kianaaa! Come here, let me give you a dress," Midori chattered, dragging Kiana up the stairs. Entering her room, Midori pulled out a maroon dress with sequins near the bottom of the skirt. It had no sleeves, and it had a large, puffy ribbon in the back to match.  
Kiana gasped, and gently touched the dress, almost afraid. "Midori.it's beautiful! Where did you get this?"  
"Get it? I made it!" Midori exclaimed, the jungle of brown curls on her head bobbing up and down.  
Kiana's eyes widened, and she gave her sister a huge bear hug. "Midori-chan! You're so awesome! I can't believe you're letting me wear this!"  
Midori grinned and handed Kiana the dress. "Go put it on! We've got to get you ready for the ball, Cinderella!"  
  
An hour later, Kiana stood infront of a mirror, frowning slightly and smoothing her dress. Midori put a wreath of bloodred roses gently atop her sister's black hair. "You look so pretty," she sniffled.  
Kiana hugged her and turned to leave, when Midori thrust a purple bottle into her hands. "Take it. I don't know why, but it's always brought me luck."  
  
Stan tapped his foot on the marble floor, folding his arms. He narrowed his eyes at the back of a princess' neck, almost willing for her head to explode.  
"Worm girl," he hissed angrily. She hadn't come yet!  
Stan hated his outfit. A lot. He was forced to wear a black cloak that was hung lazily around his neck with a new medallion, his black knee- high boots had been polished, he was wearing puffy black pants, and a black t-shirt like garment with gold seams. He looked like a damn pirate. Suddenly, a major draft swept over the room and the doors clicked shut again. Stan turned his head slightly, expecting to be greeted by another eye- blinding pink dress. But he was delighted as the 'worm girl' entered.  
The first thing he noticed was her dress. It was beautiful, maroon colored, and the sequins caught the light and sent miniature rainbows spiraling onto everyone and everything. Then, he noticed the wreath of roses on her head. And, lastly, he noticed the look of fear and self- conciousness in her eyes and posture. Kiana looked around quickly, ignoring the sideways glances and murmurs people were giving her. Eyes downcast, shoulders slightly hunched as if to protect herself, she started towards the same corner Stan was in.  
He grinned and plucked the wreath off her head. She immediatley looked up and her hand shot out, snatching it away. "Quick reflexes," he commented dryly, bowing to her. Kiana shrugged and put it back on her head.  
"I'm here. Happy?"  
Stan frowned. "Not anymore. I just wanted someone who's civil to talk to. Now dance with me, and that's an order. The cursed fat princess in the vomit green dress is coming over," he shot back, leading her onto the floor quickly, his boot heels clicking.  
Kiana's eyes narrowed. "My friend would have a good laugh at this. I never dance. You're lucky I haven't run away," she spat. Stan grinned broadly.  
"Then you'd defy an order from Prince Stanley Hihat the 14th?"  
"You suck, worm boy."  
The prince chuckled and started to waltz with Kiana. She wasn't so graceful with dancing at first, but she caught on in no time at all. A smile threatened to escape onto her face. "Having fun, are we?"  
"No."  
Stan laughed. "Fine." Kiana sighed.  
"Don't you know about endorphins? Science?"  
A small look of confusion crossed his face. "No," he said meekly.  
"Endorphins are released when you exercise. They're kind of like painkillers. For some reason, they make you happy. And," she added, with a twinkle in her eyes, "chocolate is also scientifically proven to make you happy."  
"Really?" Stan questioned, trying to keep his bored expression, but it was obvious that he was fascinated.  
They talked throughout the night, and Stan succesfully avoided the fat princess in the vomit green dress.  
  
"There's another one tomorrow night. You'd better come, worm girl," Stan scolded as she left. Kiana nodded.  
"Yeah. I'll be here." 


End file.
